Heat control for hot-water storage tanks



Jan. 27, 1925. I n; 1,524,452

H. W. PARTLOW HEAT CONTROL FOR HOT WATER STORAGE TANKS Filed June 14,1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 27,1925.y 1,524,452; K H. w. PARTLow HEATCONTROL FOR HOT WATER STORAGE TANKS Filed June 14 1924 2 Slheets-Sheet 2l zo | I l I| A26 I r l l Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

HEAT CONTROL FOR HOT-WATER STORAGE TANKS.

Application filed June 14, 1924.

2 'o ad whom it may cof/wem:

lje it known that l, HOWARD XV. PARTLOW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State or' New York, haveinvented certain new and useful lmprovei'nents in Heat Controls forlilot-llVater Stora-ge rlanks, of which the following is aspecilication.

ihis invention relates to means for automatically controlling thegas-burners, by which the Water for any hot-Water storage system may beheated, and has for its object to provide a novel, simple and highlysensitive thermostatic governor, which may be directly applied to ahot-Water storage tank, and which is arranged to mechanically andthermostatically control a relatively wide range ot heating, through themedium ot fluid pressure, which the governor dispenses. A further objectis to provide a diaphragm type of valve, which is operatedauton'iatically and intermittently. the tempera-ture of the storage tankluctuatesl, by the lluid pressure dispensed by the governor, and whichdirectly controls the supply of the fuel-gas to the burner of the Waterheater. A further object is to equip the governor 1vith novel mechanism,by which the valve that dispenses the fluid pressure may be adjusted forprcdetermining minimum and maximum temperatures at which the Water inthe storage tank may be established and maintained. And a further objectis to provide novel means 'for maintaining a pilot-light, for preventingthe extinguishment of the burners in the interim between theintermittent heating periods.

l attain these objects by the means set forth in the detaileddescription which follows, and as illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in whichMM Figure l is an elevational diagram of a hot-waterstorage tank and water heater, to which my improvement is applied. Fig.2 is central vertical section through the diphra-gni valve. Fig. 3 is atop-plan view of the governor With the cover removed. Fig. 4 is avertical longitudinal section, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is avertical crosssection, taken on line 5-5 or Fig. 4. And

Serial N0. 720,117.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4; showing the manner of etl'ectingcert-ain adjustments preliminary to the thermostat/ic operation of thefluid pressure governing valve.

ln the drawings, 2 represents an ordinary hot-water storage tank, whichis mounted upon a pedestal 2. 3 represents the coldwater reed pipe,which usually enters the top, and discharges the fresh water near thebottom or' the tank 2' represents a pipe which taps the medial portionor' the tank, and may be used for connecting the tank with aWater-heating coil oi either a turnace, a cook-stove, or a commonheating stove. 4 represents the usual gas-burning Water heater, such asis commonly used in con nection With storage tanks of the type shown,and consists mainly of a casing 4', in which is disposed aspirally-formed Water pipe 4, which receives: the cool Water ifroni thebottom of the tank 2 by means of a pipe 4b; the hot-Water beingconducted from the coil 4LL back to the boiler 2, by a pipe 4U, Whichdischarges the products of the heater 4 into the top of the tank, as ati2. rlfhe pipe 4C is litted with a cross 5, which facilitates thejoining of the pipe 4C, a pipe 4, and a pipe 6, by which the hotivatermay be conducted to bath-rooms, sinks or lavatories, located indifferent parts of a building. The coil 4 is heated by a burner 7, whichreceives the 'fuel-gas through apipe 7', from a diaphragm valve 8. Thegas for the heating, and for the governing and controlling ot the valve8, is preferably supplied by a main 9, which is fitted with the usualcock 9. The pipe 9 discharges the gas into a T 9, from which a pipe 9bcarries the gas to the fuel compartments of the valve 8. The valve 8comprises an upright cylmdrical body 8, having a central passage S thatreceives the fuel gas from the pipe 9". The passage 8 is disposedaxially in an inner cylindrical portion, the latter depending in a.concentric chamber 8C, which communicates with the pipe 7. The lower endof the passage 8 is normally open for the discharge ot' the fuel gasinto the chamber 8C. The feed ot the gas to the burner 7 is controlleddirectly by a diaphragm 10, which vtioned below and clear of the openbottom end oi'V the conduit 8a during the liring of the burner 7, thefuel supply to the said burner being shut oli' by the raising of thediaphragm, which is Y effected directly by a plunger 13. The plunger 13is movable vertically in a central opening 12 of the body 12, and its`top end is fitted with a disc 13', preferably felt or like cushionmaterial, which Anorm-ally contacts with the bottom side of theldiaphragm 10. The disc 13 is prei'erablylarger than the diameter of thepassage 8a, and when it raises the diaphragm, vthe latter eliects thepositive clos'- ing and sealing of the said passage, and stops the flowof the gas from said pass-age into chamber-8C and to the burner 7. Thebottom end of the plunger 13 is rigid to a plate-13", which is mountedupon a larger diaphragm 1&1, the latter being disposed in a 'sh-allowcircular chamber 111', which is ionnedfby the recessed bottom face 0lthe body il, nd the corresipoirling recessed top i'ace of a cap l5. T hediaphragm ll divides the 'chamber 14 into upper and lower compartmcnts,which are non-conimnincating. The charging of the lower compartmentofchamber 14 with gas` or other'fluidpressure, flexes the diaphragm 14upwardly, which effects the like movement oi' the plun- .gerv13 and thediaphragm 10, for shutting oil the-uel'gas to the burner 7, asexplained. Vhen thepressure beneath the larger diaphragm is Vrelieved orwithdrawn, as when thev contents of the boiler 2 cools, the plunger 13and the several diaphragme gravitate to their normal positions, shown bythe full lines in Fig. 2, which allows the gas to flow from the passage8a into chamber 8, and

'thence towards the burner for repeating the heating of the water by thecoil 4a. The iuid pressure, forI effecting `the upward leX- ing of thediap'hragins 10-14, isi supplied to the valve 8 intermittently, as vthetemperature of the tank 2 fluctuates between predetermined degrees, by athermostatically actuated governor, which will now be described 16-represents the elongated hollow body ,of the goveinor, having a normallyopen top, which is closed and sealed by a cap 16 and aV packing 16, formaking the body gastight. At one end the body is provided with a'depending portion 1Gb, which is bored axially and threaded to receivethe reduced threaded portion 17 of a tubular valve body 17, whosemid-interior is formed with a cir- `cul-ai' ledge or seat 17a, for aspherical valve 18. The body 16 is arranged to be constantly tchargedwith iuid pressure (gas), for controlling the valve 8, by means of apipe 19, which receives the pressure from the T 9. This iiuid pressureis intermittently dispensed by the valve 18, whenever the latter isunseated, and is conducted from the governor permitting the valve to besealed by gravity, whether o-r not said lever is wered to its fullestextent, as lshown by the full lines in Fig. l, and by the full anddotted lines in `Fig. (l. When the tension by which the lcver 21 islifted is fully relaxed, its forward 4end gravitates to and normallyrests upon the top of the body 17. 'lhc top end of stem 18 formed with aknob 18, which is engaged by the lever 21 for lifting thc valve awayfrom its seat. The rear-end ort-ion off lever 21 has its lateral ed esnt parallel to each other, and said e ges une pierced by transverse pins21-21. This end oli the lever is directly supported by a hook-arm 22 oi'a rockable dog or part 22, which engages the uppermost pin 21, thelatter being dispcd 111 the blght of the said look. The lower rightcomer of the dog l2 is pivoted to a blocli 23, by a screw 22, whichpermits the dog to bc rocked in a vertical plane for eil'ecting theraising and lowering of the 'forward end of lever 21, as shown in Figs.i and 24 represents al second dog, which is also pivoted to the block23, by a screw 24C. This dog normally stands uprightin line witicallywith the hook 22 and is in normal engagement with the pin 21c of thelcvcr. lVhen the dog 24 is held tightly against the pin 21, the said pinserves as the fulcrunl or axis around which the lever 21 is tilted. 'lhclower left corner oi the dog 22 is pi voted by a pin 22" to the top endof a solid thermostatic incinber 25, which extends downwardl through anopening in the casing, and is oosely inclosed in a tubular thermostaticmcmber26. lily this construction and arrangement of thc parts, thecontraction and expansion of the thermostat 25 26, rocks the dog 22 onits centric pivot 22"L and cii'ects the tilting of lever 21correspondingly, for opening, as well as for allowing thegravitative'closing ol' the valve 18. The dog 24, in order toeffectively co-operate with the dog 22, for tilting the lever 21, mustbe constantly held in firm engagement with the pin 2l". To this end, Iprovide a screw 27, which is adjustably supported by an internallythreaded bushing 27, the latter being screwed into an opening 16C of thecasing. The portion 27u of the sciew 27 which projects into the casingis' reduced and plain, and its free end abuts the rear edge of. the dog2l, between its pivot and the pin 21". The outer end of the screw 27 isprovided with the usual said valve for predetermining the range oftemperature said thermostat may control.

2. The vcombination with a hot-water storage tank having cold water andhotwater inlets in its top, and a burner for heating the water in thetank, ot' a. thermostatic element inserted through the hot-water inletand thence extended downwardly deeply into the body ot' water otl thetank, a governor comprising a hollow body adapted to be charged withfluid pressure disposed above t-he `hot-water inlet and supporting saidthermostatic element, a valve in said body, said valve adapted tobeopened by said element for dispensing the fluid pressure, a second valvefor ysupplying fuel-gas to said burner, said second valve adapted to beclosed by the liuid pressure d'spensed by the tirst valve, forshutting-oil`l the supply of the fuel-gas to the burner when thetemperature of the water in said tank reaches a predetermined degree,said second valve adapted to open by vgravity when the supply oit Huidpressure Vfrom the governor is stopped, a mechanism for controlling themovements of the first valve, adapted to be adjusted 'for Vgauging therange oi the initial opening movements of the valve-operating parts bythe thermostatic element be't'ore said element linally opens the firstvalve.

3. In a heat governor for hot-water storage tanks,the combination with atank having cold-water and hot-water inlets in its top and a burner forheating the water in said tank, of a. hollow body adapted to be chargedwith fluid pressure disposed above the hot-water inlet, a thermostaticelement associated with said body and eX- tending downwardly throughsaid inlet and thence deeply into 'the hottest Zone of the tank, a valvefor dispensing said fluid-pres` sure disposed in said body adapted to'beopened by the expanion of said element, and to close by gravity by thecontraction ot the element, a second valve adapted for supplying fueljgas to the burner located at a distance from said body, a pipe forconducting the iiuid pressure from the body to the second valve forclosing said valve when the temperature of the water in said tankreaches a predetermined degree, said second valve adapted to open bygravity when the supply of fluid pressure is shut ott', means foradjustingthe valve in said body for limiting` the opening movementthereof by said. element, and means for prevent-ing the extinguishmentof said burner during its inactive periods.

t. In a. heat governor for hot-water storage? systems, the combinationwith a tank having cold-water and hot-water inlets in its top and a.gas-burner for heating the water in the tank, of a hollow body adapted.to be charged with iiuid pressure disposed Y above said tank, athermostatic element depending from the body and passing through thehot-water inlet into the body of heated water in the top portion of thetank, a valve for dispensing the fluid pressure, said valve adapted tobe opened by the expansion of said element, said valve adapted to closeby gravity for stopping the issuance ot the lluid pressure i'rom thebody by the contrae tion of said element, means tor adjusting said valvelor predeterniining the temperature oft' the water in the tank and forlimiting the opening movement ol the valve by said element. a valve forsupplying fuelto the burner, said fuel valve adapted to be opened bygravity by the closing of the fluid pressure valve and to be closed bythe fluid pressure dispensed by the opening ot" the liuid pressurevalve.

5. The combination with a. liot\vater storage tank having a hot-waterinlet in its top and a gas-burning water heater for heating the water inthe tank, ot' a heat governor comprising a hollow body adapted t0 beconstantly charged with fluid pressure, a distant valve adapted to beclosed by the fluid pressure tor shutting oil the gas to the burner,said valve adapted to open by gravity when the tluid pressure iswithdrawn. a valve in said body for dispensing the fluid pressure forclosing the distant valve, a lever for opening the body valve, a dog incontact with a part of said lever adapted with said lever to provide thefulcrum or axis around which the lever revolves during the opening andclos-ing of the body valve, a screw it'or holding said dog and said partagainst accidental movement, and a thermostat depending from the body,said thermostat passing through the hot-water inlet and sinking deeplyinto the water near the top ot the tank, adapted to expand as thetemperature. of the water in the tank rises and to ei'ect the tilting ofsaid lever for opening the body valve, for effecting the closing ot' thedistant valve and stopping the greater heating of the water in saidtank.

G. The combination with a storage tank` a Vater heater comprising agas-burner, and a valve tor supplying fuel gas to said burner, saidvalve adapted to be controlled by fluid pressure, ot a thermostatinserted downwardly in the top ot' the tank, a hollow body supported by`said thermostat abom the tank, said body adapted to be charged withiiuid pressure, a valve in said body tor controlling the out-How of thelluid pressure towards the fuel supply valve, a pipe Jfor conducting theHuid pressure from the body to the fuel valve, a lever for controllingthe body valve, a dog interposed between said thermostat and said lever,whereby the expansion of the thermostat effects the opening of the bodyvalve, said body valve adapted to close by gravity lou lll)

Whenever said thermostat contracts by the cooling of the Water n thetank, a second dog in said body n constant engagement with :L part ofseid lever, and constituting with said part the fulcrunl around Whichsaid lever rotates during the opening and closing of the body Valve, andmeans abutting,` said second dog for predetermnng the opening movementsof the body valve and :for controlling the operative range of thethermostat,

In testimony whereof I affix my Signature.

HOWARD W. PARTLOW.

